Spoilers for 1923 Season 2, Episode 3 are in play! To catch up, you can stream the Yellowstone spinoff with a Paramount+ subscription and then catch new episodes every Sunday.
Winter has hit the Duttons hard. They’re all going through it, but Elizabeth has arguably been one of the characters hit hardest as she had a miscarriage at the end of Season 1 and then faced off against a cougar and was attacked by a wolf in the first two episodes of Season 2. Now, she’s ready to leave, and during a particularly intense moment between her and Cara, Helen Mirren’s character slapped her. So, when I interviewed the cast, I had to ask Michelle Randolph what it was like to be hit by her co-star.
For context, after Elizabeth was bit by the wolf, a doctor came and said she needed to take a shot every day to make sure she didn’t get rabies. She was scared this could impact her ability to have kids, and she did not want the shots at all. She fought it intensely, and in Episode 3, as a few men tried to hold her down, so Cara slapped her and said:
I suppose you’d have me shoot you in the living room like an animal driven wild with fever. The world is not a fair place, as you have surely realized by now. But it has been far kinder to you than the woman lying in the back of Dr. Miller’s buggy. That I can assure you. Now, you’re a woman; whether you’re ready to be one is debatable, but a woman you are. It’s time to act like it.
It’s a visceral and shocking moment, and I had to know what it was like to film it. So, I asked Michelle Randolph what it was like to be slapped by Helen Mirren. She told me it was actually her favorite scene of the season that’s currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule:
This sounds so funny, but that was my very favorite scene to film of this entire season.
The slap mixed with the humbling words Cara said must have been incredible to witness in person, considering the force of nature that Mirren is. Plus, Randolph’s deeply emotional and courageous reaction to the action made the scene even better, as she literally stood up to Cara to prove that she could and would act like the woman she described.
The Elizabeth actress told me that while filming this scene, she got “full-body chills” because it was so incredible to be performing next to her co-star. She said:
Having Helen Mirren slap you, it's impossible not to be very present. And there was one scene that I just like, I got full-body chills as soon as we were – actually, during the scene. And she just brings this power to it.
Like all the women in the various Yellowstone shows, both Cara and Elizabeth are headstrong and fiercely independent. Overall, Mirren’s character has supported Randolph’s in a gentle yet stern way. However, in this moment, Elizabeth was freaking out so much, it felt like Cara had to shock her system to bring her back to reality. Then, the verbal reality check that came right after almost hit harder. So, I totally get why the young actress loved filming this scene so much; it packs a punch (literally), and it carries so much emotional weight.
Now, I’m very curious to see how this powerful instance impacts Elizabeth and her opinions about the ranch. Will she leave? Will she stay? How will Cara, Jack and Jacob support her? Only time will tell, and you can see how all the Duttons carry on during this harsh and violent winter when 1923 returns next Sunday.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
